Roundabout



Dec. 8, 1942.

H. lim-:NMS` .ROUNDABOUT Filed Aug. 15, '1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 www Arran/v5? Dec. 8, 1942.

H. DENNIS ROUNDABOUT Filed 1mgl 15, 1941 v5 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR; wa/z (Q4/M4464, BY B WM Decf, 1942. H. DENNIS. '2,304,341

ROUNDABOILT l Filed Aug. 15, 1941 5 sheet-she'et s ATTORNFY,

H. DENNIS RoUNnABoUT Dec. 8, 1942.

Filed Aug. 15, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 lu-:1f 5 3.

ATTORNEY De. s, 1942. H DENNIS `2,304,341

RoUNDABoUT Filed Aug. 15, 1941 5 sheet's-she'et 5 Tui-...ll

Q 4 Je IN VEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 8, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROUNDABOUT Heyward Dennis, Augusta, Ga.

`Application August 15, 1941, Serial No.407,057

`10 Claims.

VMy invention relates to roundabouts or rotary swings.

An important object of the invention is 'to provide apparatus of the above-mentioned character which is adapted for use in places of amusement, such as pleasure resorts, parks, exhibition grounds, fairs, circuses, or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above-mentioned character which will provide decided thrills for the riders.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus ofthe above-mentioned character havinglrneans for raising and lowering the cars, and tipping the saine upon their transverse axes.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above-mentioned character vhaving means to tilt the car upon its longitudinal axis.

A further object of the invention is toprovide -means for rotating the car upon its vertical axis as well as tilting the same upon its transverse and `,longitudinal axes.

A furtherobject ofthe invention is to provide apparatus of the above-mentioned character which may be constructed'in `separable units so that it may be rapidly'assembled and disassembled.

Other objectsand advantages of the invention `will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In'the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout `the same.

`of Figure a,

Figure 5a is a vertical section taken on` line .fri-5a of Figure 6a' Figure 6a is a plan view of `the car tilting lever,

Figure 6 is a plan view of the car or passenger carrier,

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the same,

shaft engages an end-thrust bearing 33.

Figure 8 is a transverse section `taken on line 8 8 of Figure '7,

Figure '8aL is a detailed section taken on line til-8a of Figure 8,

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a'further modified form of car or passengercarrier, parts broken away,

Figure 9a is a detailed section through the swiveled connection shown in Figure9,

Figure 10 is a side elevation of a further modified form of car or passenger carrier, and

Figure 11 is a detailed section throughthe collector rings.

In the drawings, `wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, vattention being called iirst to Figures ll to 5 inclusive, thenumeral 2U designates a base which may beformed of radial I-beams 2 l,

suitably'connected at their inner ends and connected at their outer ends by'I-beams 22, forming Aa rectangular group. Short radial I-beams 23 are connected with 'the I-beamsv--22 andsupport a loading platform 24,which ispreferably annular.

lThis loading platform has a circular guard 26, as shown.

The numeral 21 designates a tower, as a whole, comprising upstanding truss structures 28, preferably corresponding in number and arrangement to the radial 'I-beams 2l. "The'truss structures -28 diverge downwardly and are preferably arranged in'a group offour and are attached to the horizontal I-beams 2l Vnear their outer ends.

The upper ends of the truss structures 28 are connected by Ya horizontal vcollar 29 and their intermediate portions are connected by a similar collar 30. Held within the horizontal collars 29 and `3l) are roller bearings 3|, Figure 4.

Extending through the horizontal collars 29 and 30 and centrally arranged with respect to the tower is avertical tubular shaft 32, engaging the roller bearings 3 I. The lower end of this tubular The tubular shaft extends at its upper end beyond the tower and collar-f29 for asubstantial distance, as shown.

Mounted uponthe upper end of the vertical tubular shaft 32 is a rotating frame 34, including radially extending arms 35, which are inclined upwardly toward-their outer ends. These arms are connected at their inner ends with a common hub or ring 36, vrigidly mounted uponthe'tubular shaft 32, and spaced from the collar 29. The arms 35 have upwardly projecting extensions 31, connected with rods or cables 3.8, extending'inwardly for connection With a ring 39, rigidly secured to the top of the tubular shaft 32. The outer ends of the arms are connected by circumferential element or elements 40, which may be a rod, cable, or the like.

Pairs of the radial arms 35 carry grooved pulleys 4l at their outer ends, and these grooved pulleys have flexible elements or cables i2 and l2a passed over the same, which extend downwardly for connection with the ends of a car or passenger carrier t3. The cables 112 are connected with the forward ends of the cars while the cables 42a are connected with the rear ends of the cars, assuming that the frame 34 is rotating clockwise as viewed looking down on top of shaft 32 Figure 1.

The cables E2 connected with the forward ends of the cars are passed about grooved pulleys lili,

mounted upon the upper end of the tubularA shaft 32 and allrof the cables i2 then extend` into the tubular` shaft and are secured to a col lector ring t5, slidably mounted within the tubular shaft. rIhis collector ring has a cable 4S connected therewith which extends downwardly within the tubular shaft. All of the cables 42a which are connected with `the rear ends of the cars or carriers 43 are passed about pulleys 4l, mounted upon the upper end of the tubular shaft 32 and are connected with a collector ring 48 arranged beneath the collector ring d5 and slidably mounted within the tubular shaft 32 and `connected with a cable 49. It is thus seen that if both cables d5 and 59 are wound up to the same extent upon drums, that the cars will be raised and maintained horizontal during the rising movement but if one cable is wound up for a greater Vextent than the other the cars will be longitudinally inclined or tilted upon theirtransverse axes. The cable passes to the lower end of the tubular shaft 32 and 1s then trained about a grooved pulley 5G and then passed about a pulley 5l and then about a winding drum 52 mounted upon the motor platform 53 which is rigidly secured to the tubular shaft 32 to rotate therewith. The cable d5 is passed about a grooved pulley 513, mounted upon the tubular shaft 32 and then extends outwardly to be passed about a grooved pulley 55 and then downwardly about a winding drum 55 mounted upon the motor platform 53. The winding drums 52 and 55 are geared together so that they turn at the same speed and in opposite directions to wind the cables l5 and e5 thereon, respectively, at the same rate. The gearing between the winding drums is driven by a motor 51'y mounted upon the motor platform 53. As shown in Figure 5, the motor 51 drives a shaft 51a. This shaft has a sprocket wheel 58a rigidly secured thereto engaging a sprocket cha-in 59a in turn engaging a sprocket wheel 60a which is connected with the drum 52, to drive it. The shaft 51a has a gear (ilEL rigidly secured thereto engaging a gear 52a connected with a sprocket wheel 63a. This sprocket wheel engages a sprocket chain 54a engaging a sprocket wheel 55a, secured to the drum 56, to rotate it. The

rigidly connected byY bolts" 501 passing 'through spacing blocks Sib. It is thus apparent that when the lever carrying the pulleys 5| and 55 remains horizontal and the winding drums 52 and 55 are rotated in the proper direction that the cables will be wound upon these drums and the cars raised while being maintained horizontal. However, should the lever be inclined for raising the pulley 5i and lowering the pulley 55, the front ends of the cars would be raised and their rear ends lowered and the cars would be inclined upon their vertical axes in a forward direction, independently of the winding action of the drums 52 and 55. I contemplate automatically swinging the lever 58 upon its pivot 55, and to accomplish this a connecting rod 5i is pivotally connected with the level` 53 at 52 and is pivotally connected with a crank disk 63, which may be connected with and driven by a separate motor 63. By operating the motor 53', the lever 58 may be swung in a direction to tilt the cars 43 upon their transverse axes and elevate their forward ends. This may be done when the cars are being raised. The motor may also be operated to tilt the cars in an opposite direction so that their forward ends are lowered when the cars are descending. The motor may also be continuously operated and the cars will be continuously tilted upon their transverse axes during their raising or lowering movement. If desired, the crank disk 63y may be connected with the drum 52 to` be driven with the same, in which event, the motor 63 will be dispensed With. .I also contemplate manually angularly adjusting the lever 58.

The motor platform 53 may be equipped with an annular gear 53, driven by a gear 55, driven by a bevel-gear 55, driven by a bevel-gear 57, driven by a shaft 63, in turn driven by a motor 59. By this means the tubular shaft 32 and frame 34 is rotated upon a vertical axis and the motor platform 53 turns with the tubular shaft 32, with which it is rigidly secured. Y

As before stated, the cable i2 is connected with the forward end of the car 43 and theV cable d2a with its rear end. 1 will now describe the manner in which this connection is effected. The cable 42 is connected with a forward ring 'I0 and the cable 42a with a rear ring il. These rings are connected at their tops and bottoms by horizontal struts 'I3 and '14. The rings are much larger in diameter than the car 53 and the car is provided upon its opposite sides, and within each ring, with brackets l5, carrying grooved pulleys 15, which are mounted to travel upon the ring and cannot be removed therefrom. Each ring is provided with stops 'Vi' so that the car cannot turn upon its longitudinal axis for too great an extent whereby the passengers would be thrown from the same.

The turning of the car upon its longitudinal axis within the rings and 'El may be effected by operating pivoted front wings 78, secured to the car. By swinging these wings about the horizontal axes 79,' in opposite directions, the car will turn upon its longitudinal axis as it is traveling around the tower. The turning of the car upon its longitudinal axis may also be effected by means of rear wings 85, attached there*- to and swinging upon horizontal axes 8|. 'The wings would be swung in opposite directions to turn the car upon its longitudinal axis. The turning of the car upon its longitudinal axis may therefore be effected by the manipulation of the wings 'I8 alone or the wings 85 alone or by the manipulation of both pairs of Wings 'I3 and 80. The control for the wings i8 and 185 is Jar-ranged within the car 43. Tfhe `car 43 is also equipped with a 'rudder 52, which may be "employed to steer the car during its circular vring 10, and 'the car is equipped with one pair `of rollers i6 to engage` within the `ring This ring is located at apoint substantiallyequidistantlyspaced from the ends of the car. he ring 83issup-po1ted by la carrier 84 and has a swivel 'connection therewith, as shown at '35, so that the ring 83 can rotate upon a vertical axis. The cable 42 is connected withthe forward end ofthe carrier 84 and thepcable 42a with its rear end and 'hence the carrier 'Bil and the car 33 may be inc'lined or tilted upon a transverse horizontal axis as described in connection with the rst form of the invention. The mounting for the car 43, Figure 9, may be substituted for the mounting of the car 43, Figure 7, but all oth-er parts of the la'piclaratus will remain identical. The rotation of the car 43 andring 83 about the vertical axis 85 may be produced or controlled by the rudder 82, Figure 6, it'being understood that all parts of the Acar lare otherwise identical with the showing in Figure 6 except for `the `ring mountingi.

In Figure "lo, a further modication of the in- Vention is shown and in this figure the car 43a has the swivel vd directly attached thereto, the ring 83 being omitted. The same carrier 84 and cables 42 and 42a are provided. There are no Wings 18 and 80 for the car is not turned upon its longitudinal axis but there is a rudder 86 which may be employed to cause the car to turn upon its Vertical axis during its circular travel around the tower. The cables 42 and 422L may be manipulated to tilt the car upon its transverse axis.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

When the shaft 32 is brought to rest the motor 51 is operated to rotate the drums 52 and 55 to pay out the cables 45 and 49 and the cars 43 will be brought to the lower position above and adjacent to the platform 24. The cars are now loaded and the motor 69 is set into operation and the shaft 3 2 and frame 34 are rotated. The cars 43 rotate in a circular path and tend to move out by centrifugal force. The shaft 32 may be set into rotation before or after the cars 43 are raised in whole or in part. When the drums 52 and 55 are rotated to wind the cables 46 and 49 thereon respectively, the cars 43 are`elevated, and while they are being elevated they are swung upon their transverse axes, to elevate their forward ends. The cars are lowered by rotating the winding drums 52 and 55 in an opposite direction to pay out the cables thereof and during the lowering operation the cars are swung upon their transverse axes to lower their forward ends. While the cars are traveling around the tower, the wings 18 or 80 or both may be manipulated to cause the car to turn or tilt upon its longitudinal axis within the rings 'l0 and 1I.. The cars may be constantly tilted upon their transverse axes when being raised or lowered, if desired.

Itis to be understood that the forms of my in-` Cil vention herewithshownand described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various `changes inthe shape, size, and arrangement of `parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. p

Having thusldescribed my invention, what I claim is:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a tower, `a supporting structure mounted upon the tower, means to rotate the supporting structure, passenger carriers, a pair of flexible elements connected with each passenger carrier and suspended from the supporting structure, means to take up -both exible elements in each pair to raise the passenger carrier and to take up one flexible element in each pair more than the other flexible element to cause the passenger carrier to be inclined.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a tower, a rotatabie supporting structure mounted upon the tower, a passenger carrier, a pairv of flexible devices including upper and lower flexible parts, Vthe upper exible parts being suspended mechanism for the 'iiexible elements, and'mean's in addition to the winding mechanism to take up only one flexible element in the pair.

4. In apparatus of the character described, a tower, a substantially vertical tubular shaft held in place by the tower and extending above the same, a passengerl carrier, flexible elements suspended from the supporting structure and connected with the passenger carrier and extending into the tubular shaft above the tower, pulleys mounted upon the tubular shaft below the top of the tower and having the flexible elements passed above them when the flexible elements extend to the exterior of the tubular shaft, a pivoted member mounted upon the tubular shaft, pulleys mounted upon the pivoted member and having the flexible elements passed about the same, winding mechanism mounted upon the tubular shaft and connected with the flexible elements, and means to reciprocate the pivoted member while the winding mechanism is oper? ating.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a tower, a tubular shaft held in place within the tower and extending above the tower, a frame mounted upon the tubular shaft above the tower, passenger carriers, a pair of exible elements connected with each passenger carrier near its front and rear ends and suspended from the frame, the pairs of flexible elements passing into the tubular shaft above the tower, a collector element connected with all of the exible elements which are connected with the front ends of the carriers, a collector element connected with all of the flexible elements which are connected with the rear ends of the carriers, a common flexible element connected 'with one collector element and passing to the exterior of the tubular Shaft below the top 0I" the tower, a second Common flexible element connected with the other collector element and passing to the exterior of the tubular shaftfbelow the top of the tower, pulleys engaging the common flexible elements, means mounted upon the tubular shaft to raise and lower the pulleys, and winding mechanism mounted upon the tubular shaft and connected with the common flexible elements.

V6. In apparatus of the character described, a tower, a rotatable support mounted upon the tower, a carrier, a pair of rings arranged near the ends of the carrier, means to mount the carrier within the rings so that the carrier can turn upon its longitudinal axis, ilexible elements connected with the rings and suspended from the rotatable support, means to take up the flexible elements to raise the carrier and to take rup one flexible element to a greater extent than the other to turn the carrier upon its transverse axis, and means to cause the carrier to turn upon Y its longitudinal axis relation to the supporting element, and means suspending the supporting element from the rotatable support and raising and lowering the supporting element and inclining the same.

8. In amusement apparatus, a tower, a rotatable support mounted upon the tower, a carrier,

ymeans to support the carrier so that it may turn upon its longitudinal axis, means connected with the supporting means to operate the same for turning the carrier upon its tranverse axis and Cil tilting the same longitudinally, the last named means being mounted upon the rotatable support and also serving to bodily raise and lower the carrier, and means to c-ause the carrier to turn upon its longitudinal axis.

9. In amusement apparatus, a tower, a rotatable supporting structure mounted upon ther tower, passenger carriers, a pair of exible elements mounted upon the supporting structure and having spaced ends which are connected with each carrier so that such pair of flexible elements may be employed to tilt the carrier, a common exible element connected with corresponding flexible elements of all of the pairs, a second common Yflexible element connected with the remaining exible elements'of all of the pairs, winding mechanism connected with the common iiexible elements, pulleys connected with the two common flexible elements, and means to move one pulley in a direction to take up its common flexible element and the other pulley in a direction to pay out its common flexible element.

l0. In amusement apparatus, a tower, a supporting structure mounted upon the tower to turn about a generally vertical axis, a passenger carrier arranged below the supporting structure, flexible means suspending the passenger carrier from the supporting structure and permitting the passenger carrier to travel radially outwardly due to the action of centrifugal force, and means to operate the flexible means to cause the ilexible means to tilt the passenger carrier upon its transverse axis to raise its leading end and lower 'ts trailing end and to also bodily move the passenger carrier to different elevations.

HEYWARD DENNIS. 

